After finishing off your 19th century mince pie, you may start pondering about other old traditions while your eyes drift from the crumbs to the Christmas cracker next to your dinner plate. In 2014, Professor Julie Coleman examined how baubles, mince pies and more have been viewed and enjoyed throughout the centuries. She also explained how the Christmas cracker was invented by the Victorians in the 1840s and were once full to the brim with colourful sweets that would erupt like a modern-day piñata when pulled. Some would arguably prefer if this was the case today, rather than crackers being filled with yet another set of small screwdrivers and a dodgy Xmas joke about penguins.

Pulling a cracker feels more appropriate when Christmas songs are playing in the background. As it turns out, “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” by glam rock band Wizzard was released in 1973, the same year that the band played in our Students' Union. Slade - whose famous track ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ was also released in 1973 - also performed at the Students' Union, albeit a year earlier. Elton John of ‘Step into Christmas’ fame performed at the Students' Union in 1971, suggesting that Leicester has a reputation for attracting stars that would ultimately write Christmas classics.